LOS ANGELES — There was no shortage of action on camera at the 2012 Video Music Awards, but as is often the case at our signature event, that only tells half the story. Because there was nearly as many memorable moments that took place when the cameras weren't rolling.

Take, for example, [article id="1693377"]the off-screen embrace between Rihanna and Chris Brown[/article], which occurred after Rih Rih's "We Found Love" took home [article id="1693365"]Video of the Year[/article], but not on the main-show cameras. Instead, the embrace was caught by a camera broadcasting the VMA All Access Live online show, though that didn't matter, as within hours, the kiss quickly became the most-discussed thing on the Internet.

There were, of course, less sensational moments, too. Like, for example, the burgeoning friendship between "Jersey Shore" star Pauly D and rapper 2 Chainz, which started with infatuation (Pauly saw Chainz on the VMA carpet and proclaimed to anyone who would listen "I want to meet that dude!") and ended with the two in a full-fledged relationship ... or at least a Twitpic.

Or the new friendship between Justin Bieber's manager, Scooter Braun, and gold-medal winning Fierce Five, which began when JB exchanged tweets with the gymnasts, and fully came to fruition on the VMA carpet, when Braun chatted up the ladies. Also feeling the love on the carpet: Green Day, who were very interested in Nicki Minaj's outfit, Amber Rose, who removed some schmootz from Wiz Khalifa's face, and One Direction, who didn't seem to mind that their arrival was upstaged seconds later by fellow boybanders the Wanted. As they snapped photos of their (supposed) rivals and laughed.

Inside Staples Center, the good vibes didn't stop, either. Rihanna embraced Robert Pattinson, 2 Chainz (who just might have been the MVP of these VMAs) hammed it up with host Kevin Hart, and Pink basked in her post-performance glow by hugging her dancers, and high-fiving complete strangers. And, as the show came to a close, Rihanna (still clutching her Video of the Year Moonmen) took in Taylor Swift's performance on a backstage monitor, joined by her BFF Katy Perry. The two bobbed their heads in time with Swift's "We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together," and then, as the song ended, they embraced, and headed down opposite ends of the Staples' corridors. Off to afterparties, where, presumably, even more VMA memories will be made.